Microblog

Built a self-balancing two-wheeled robot, a copy of a design I found on the Internet. It wanders around autonomously ‘seeing’ with an ultrasonic sensor and maintaining balance using a gyro sensor. After about ten minutes the robot suddenly accelerates and falls over, hence the carpet. I need to slow down and understand the algorithm from… Continue reading Balancing Act

Aquatennial fireworks from our balcony capped off an evening of Olympic action. We’ve splashed out $15 for NBC’s (proud as a…) Peacock service for commercial-free on-demand access to every event. Paris is 7 hours ahead, so we can fast-forward through the boring bits.

While cycling past the BNSF Northtown Yard today, watched a freight train roll by. The air quality is noticeably poor due to wildfires in the West and Canada.

Wet-wiped eraser dust and pencil marks from classroom tables, as I do every week before class. Meanwhile, Dwight cleaned the drains at the greenhouse.

Cycled a favorite loop today, including breakfast sandwiches at Bread and Pickle overlooking Lake Harriet. Plane traffic approaching and departing MSP had been shifted to the southeast, so we didn’t get to watch planes. Coincidentally, actual ducks were also absent.

On today’s cycle ride through neighborhoods, took note of these lawn signs.

Gave my bike a break on Northern Pacific Bridge Number 9 to take in this hazy view. Four bridges in sight: two now reopened after years of restoration work, one currently under restoration, and one newer bridge opened in 2008 after its predecessor’s dramatic collapse during rush hour in 2007.

Decided my next LEGO quest is one- or two-wheeled and two-legged contraptions that don’t fall over. Truck front-end assemblies haven’t captured my imagination, perhaps because they tend to rely on composite LEGO parts to circumvent engineering challenges, or maybe trucks aren’t my thing. I’ll need a LEGO MINDSTORMS gyro sensor, just ordered via eBay (because… Continue reading Ready for a New LEGO Project

It’s Sausage Saturday, which means sausage and cabbage on the barbecue, a movie, and ice cream in the intermission. Tonight’s picks: The Kids Are All Right, pausing for this excellent cashew-milk-based ice cream.

On my random cycle ride through a residential neighborhood, spotted this free library that had morphed from a bicycle. Watched it in action as a father and child interacted with this creation and selected a book. There were controls to pull, spin (shelves), pump (a balloon), and to operate a puppet made from bicycle parts… Continue reading Literary Cycle

While Dwight was volunteering at the university greenhouse involving a microscope, an entomologist and a literature search dealing with this sad specimen, I assisted with English language learners. In one class we brainstormed food truck ideas—ice cream, coffee/tea, and Somali sambusa—and started budgeting. In another class we focused on job-searching skills.

Explored a retrospective at the Walker of Keith Haring’s short career. We benefit from the social activism of artists like Haring. Here, three kids spontaneously react to one of his short animations.

It’s Amazon Prime Day. The first two items on offer “just for Tom” were dog poop bags and skimpy women’s panties. Neither item has ever been on my Christmas wishlist, nor Dwight’s for that matter. My one purchase will arrive Thursday: a 5-pack of COVID tests–we’re running low. I can now go outside and engage… Continue reading Amazon Algorithm Fail

A morning thunderstorm coincided with a reminder in my calendar to clean the air and water filters in our Japanese toilets. We’ve had our TOTOs over five years, now, and they’ve worked flawlessly. We had an early issue with reduced water flow due to construction sand in the water, but the filter did its job.… Continue reading Run, Toto, Run!*

A storm raged overnight, leaving the odd downed tree to navigate around on our hot and steamy Sunday morning walk. We’re grateful to still have power, knowing many are facing outages today.

Pryes Brewing Company was the perfect spot to catch up with my friend visiting from out of town. Delighted to learn he and his wife are moving back to the Twin Cities from out West and building a house downriver from us.